A prince, a pumpkin, a glass slipper ... history's most enduring fairy tale returns with a thoroughly modern twist! Beautifully produced and featuring an all-star cast, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA shimmers to life in the most spectacular production ever of the classic musical -- including three additional Rodgers & Hammerstein songs exclusive to this special Disney presentation! Pop sensation Brandy (TV's MOESHA) stars as the beautiful Cinderella, who suffers the torment of her wicked stepmother (Bernadette Peters) and spoiled stepsisters. Cinderella dreams of the impossible -- going to the ball and dancing with the prince. Her impossible dream is realized when her fairy godmother (Whitney Houston) teaches her that with positive thinking and belief in yourself, "impossible things happen every day!" Also starring Jason Alexander (TV's SEINFELD) and Whoopi Goldberg (SISTER ACT), Disney's sparkling new version of RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA promises to be an instant classic. Now you can relive the magic anytime you wish!
More is not necessarily better. A glitzy Hollywood cast and a big budget did not improve the wonderful 1957 teleplay (or its equally charming 1964 remake) upon which this version is based. This is partly because Brandy, cast in the title role, cannot act. Not helping matters are Whoopi Goldberg as the prince's mother and Jason Alexander as his valet. Their shtick wears thin very quickly. However, Paolo Montalban is charismatic as the prince, and Whitney Houston plays a fairy godmother with pizzazz. The production cost millions, and is certainly lavish, but the whole affair feels forced and overdone, reminding one of a prom queen wearing too much makeup. It does deserve credit for a multi-ethnic cast, the addition of two new songs and a hip attitude. However, the 1964 version (the original was not taped) is much sweeter and more romantic. Originally released as Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Love It!!:
I loved the Cinderella story as a child and I purchased this for my daughter. She goes around the house singing the songs from the movie and dressing like a princess. It is nice to see a wonderful old story revised and still warming the hearts of children, young and old.
A Little Girl's Dream and Not Much Else:
This movie is offensive on so many levels. For one thing, although I appreciate multiculturalism as much as anyone, the racial combinations here are nothing short of awkward and hilarious. The Stepmother is white, her kids are white and black (huh?); the King is white, the Queen is black, their kid is Asian (now that's a mind-bender). Look, Cinderella is a European fairytale; thus, it would not be racist for all the characters to be white. Really. Heck, you could even have a Cinderella for different... more info
Enchanting:
This is one of my wife's favorites so I'll let her share her thoughts. Sarah Ashley: I love it on so many levels! This is the timeless story that every girl grows up with, presented in an updated way with all of the creative support of Disney. I could watch it 100 times and not get tired of it. First, the classic music is absolutely addictive. It's beautiful, fun, and performed so incredibly by the stars. The performances tug at your heart and pull you in. The choreography also adds to the joy of... more info
"CINDERELLA" 1997: BRANDY AS POP PRINCESS FOR A POP MUSIC GENERATION.:
Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cinderella" was originally written in 1957 as a television showcase for Julie Andrews. That original live broadcast was seen by an estimated 107 million viewers. The charming musical's reputation was nearly destroyed by an embarrasingly amateurish 1965 TV remake featuring Lesley Ann Warren. It is this version, unfortunately, that was videotaped and shown on TV for several decades. Richard Rodgers obviously took leave of his senses, since he was executive producer of the 1965... more info
